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In our wildest dreams! Americans crowned Taylor Swift the most desirable celebrity neighbor of 2016 in Zillow’s recently released Celebrity Neighbor Survey. The reigning princess of pop edged out America’s newest sweetheart, Jennifer Lawrence, to take the top spot.

Americans also casted their votes for the worst celebrity neighbor of 2015, this time naming Donald Trump the celebrity they’d least like to share a fence with.

"2015 was a landmark year for Taylor Swift, from her highly successful 1989 World Tour, to being named the youngest female ever on Forbes' 100 Most Powerful Women list—it's no surprise America picked the down-to-earth singer-songwriter as 2016's most desirable neighbor," says Jeremy Wacksman, chief marketing officer for Zillow. "Donald Trump, on the other hand, is frequently in the limelight for his polarizing comments and non-apologetic attitude, which some may see as unattractive qualities in a neighbor."

Comedian Amy Schumer came in a close third as the most desirable neighbor in 2016, followed by Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan, Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux and Hillary Clinton. More than a third of respondents to the survey would not choose any of the preceding candidates as neighbors.

Following Trump as the worst neighbors of 2015 are Kanye West and Kim Kardashian, Justin Bieber, Hillary Clinton, Miley Cyrus and Tom Brady.

Research shows individuals are more than 90 percent likely to fail in committing to a New Year's resolution, especially those that are health-related. But don't let that statistic contribute to a self-fulfilling prophecy, says Dr. Virender Sodhi, renowned expert on complementary and alternative medicine.

"Of course, that statistic represents the average," says Dr. Sodhi. "You don't have to be average! There are plenty of things individuals can do to improve their odds of success if they resolve to become healthier and fitter.”

Dr. Sodhi's tips include:

• Getting away from the instant-gratification mentality and avoiding unrealistic goals. Don’t expect to go from zero to 60 in just a few months, especially if you have little background in training. Unfortunately, most who have resolutions like losing weight and quitting smoking are used to easy snack foods and quick rewards. Health is a long-term labor of love; commit to the love and wait for results.

• Establishing good habits. People make resolutions because they know they’re important, but they’re hard. With each passing week, more people drop their promises for self-improvement. You’ll want to set the right goals. If you want to lose 100 pounds, focus on the first 10, and then the next. Make sure to establish new and good habits—they take about 28 days to stick. Once you train your mind with good habits, achieving your goals becomes much easier.

• Embracing supplemental support. Of course, all health efforts are connected to your overall well-being. When you make the investment to eat more vegetables, you’re reinforcing your commitment to exercise. Consider practices such as yoga and meditation, which will feed your health kick and provide unexpected benefits. Additionally, supplements such as kelp and green tea extract can yield even more health benefits. And, spices such as garlic, onion, black pepper, ginger, cinnamon, long pepper, and cayenne pepper all have important thermogenic properties, which stimulates metabolism.

• Solidifying gains with persistent positive reinforcement. Learn to reward yourself in a new way by paying attention to the gains in your body. Notice the improvement in stress levels, breathing, energy, mood and overall strength. While these improvements are wide-ranging and palpable, they increase over time and can be subtle. Don’t let these improvements occur without a personal recognition of your accomplishments.

Cut the carbs, eat more veggies. Exercise more, stress less. Get organized, stick to a budget. We start every January 1 with good intentions, but often fail to follow through—in fact, just 8 percent of those who make health-related New Year’s resolutions manage to keep their pledges.

Stay on track this year with these tips:

Get inspired. Many websites offer inspiring stories from people that have met their health and fitness goals. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) page, "Inspiration for a Healthy Year," features pictures and stories to reinforce the idea that you can set and achieve significant goals.

Break goals down. Whether it's your resolutions or daily to-dos, a long list of goals is overwhelming, not inspiring. Make no more than three resolutions and break them down into actionable steps.

Explore your options. If you've delayed getting essential health services due to financial concerns, a little research can reveal ways to make getting the care you need more affordable.

Track and share your goals. It takes about three weeks to establish a new habit. Track your health goals on your 2016 calendar by marking the 22nd as the day you put the past behind you. Consider publicly sharing your goals with family and friends and asking for their support.

Winter is here, and that means flu season is not far behind. To keep your home free of illness, it’s important to maintain a clean household.

"With the flu season kicking into high gear, it's important to make sure you're taking the appropriate steps to help reduce the spread of the virus in your home, at work and when you're on the go," says Debra Johnson, home cleaning expert for Merry Maids. "Cleaning common touch points is key, especially if fever has been present. Take a few extra minutes each day, or a few hours each week, to help keep you and your family healthy this flu season."

These steps include:

• Vacuuming and steaming floor surfaces regularly

• Wiping down common touch points regularly, and more often when the virus is present

• Keeping hand soap stocked in bathrooms and kitchens

• Keeping fresh hand towels available and encouraging each home member to use their own

• Keeping tissues on hand in areas of the home where your family spends most their time

• Changing clothes as soon as kids get home from school and parents from work

The New Year offers us an opportunity to improve—and for many of us, it’ll be as simple as enjoying life to the fullest, according to a recent survey of New Year’s resolutions by GOBankingRates.com.

“Who wouldn’t want to live life to the fullest?” asks Cameron Huddleston, columnist for GOBankingRates.com. “Unfortunately, the small things in life can get in the way of actually enjoying life. Perhaps that’s why so many people are resolving to enjoy life to the fullest—as a reminder to take advantage of the time they have.”

Per the survey, 2016 resolutions also include:

•Living a healthier lifestyle
•Losing weight
•Spending more time with family and friends
•Saving more and spending less
•Paying down debt

Survey respondents had the option to choose multiple resolutions, but more than half chose to adopt just one.

How big, you may ask? According to projections by the U.S. Census Bureau, the world’s population will be 7,295,889,256 on January 1, 2016, a 1.08 percent increase from New Year’s Day 2015.

Worldwide, the Census Bureau expects 4.3 births and 1.8 deaths every second of January 2016.

The U.S. population is also set to increase on January 1, up 0.77 percent to 322,762,018. In 2016, the U.S. population is expected to increase by one person every 17 seconds, thanks to a combination of births, deaths and net international migration, specifically one birth every eight seconds, one death every 10 seconds and one additional person every 29 seconds due to migration.

Fireplaces are one of the most coveted features in homes today—but they can be hazardous if precautions aren’t taken. Whenever you use your fireplace, keep in mind these safety tips, courtesy of the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA):

1. Get an annual chimney check. Have chimneys inspected annually, and cleaned as necessary, by a qualified professional chimney service technician. This reduces the risk of fires and carbon monoxide poisonings due to creosote buildup or obstructions in the chimneys.

2. Keep it clear. Keep tree branches and leaves at least 15 feet away from the top of the chimney.

3. Install a chimney cap to keep debris and animals out of the chimney.

4. Choose the right fuel. For burning firewood in wood stoves or fireplaces, choose well-seasoned wood that has been split for a minimum of six months to one year and stored in a covered and elevated location. Never burn Christmas trees, treated wood or wrapping paper in your fireplace or wood stove.

5. Build it right. Place firewood or fire logs at the rear of the fireplace on a supporting grate. To start the fire, use kindling or a commercial firelighter. Never use flammable liquids.

6. Keep the hearth area clear. Combustible material too close to the fireplace or to a wood stove could easily catch fire. Keep furniture at least 36 inches away from the hearth.

7. Use a fireplace screen. Use metal mesh or a screen in front of the fireplace to catch flying sparks that could ignite or burn holes in the carpet or flooring.

8. Install smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Place detectors throughout the house and check batteries in the spring and fall. When you change your clocks for Daylight Savings Time, remember to check your batteries.

9. Never leave a fire unattended. Before turning in for the evening, be sure that the fire is fully extinguished. Supervise children and pets closely around wood stoves and fireplaces.

10. Discard ashes in a closed metal container and place it away from the house until they have fully cooled.

(BPT)—We’re all inclined to crank the heat up when winter’s chill hits. But many of us are not inclined to look for areas that may be impacting the temperature of our homes—and our budgets.

Drafts and air leaks, for example, can lead to temperature fluctuation and higher than normal heating bills if left unresolved, according to the experts at Icynene (www.icynene.com). Gaps in insulation coverage can also be a major contributor, as well as inefficient performance of HVAC equipment.

Air leakage from walls, windows, ceilings and floors can account for up to 40 percent of the energy lost by your home, potentially costing thousands of dollars annually. Air leakage can also contribute to potential moisture problems that can affect occupant health and the home's durability, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

To reduce drafts and air leakage, have a certified HERS rater assess your home and identify problem areas. He or she can also help evaluate ventilation needs.

Once all sources of air leaks have been detected, apply air sealing techniques and materials. Caulking and weather-stripping are two of the most popular and common techniques that can help address air leaks, as well as high-performance spray foam insulation. Spray foam insulation works well in all climates to seal the building and fill every gap to stop air leakage and help reduce the strain on HVAC equipment.

The time it takes to close a loan has gone up an average of three days, increasing to 49 days for both conventional and FHA loans and 50 days for VA loans, according to a recent Ellie Mae® report.

“We are beginning to see the anticipated impacts of the Know Before You Owe changes that went into effect in October,” says Jonathan Corr, president and CEO of Ellie Mae. Know Before You Owe, or the RESPA-TILA regulation, is designed to inform consumers of their loan options, help them shop for the best mortgage and prevent mishaps on the road to close.

The Ellie Mae report also shows that the average FICO score on all closed loans fell to 721, marking the sixth consecutive month of decline. The driver of the FICO reduction appears to be average FHA refinance FICO scores falling for the second straight month to 648.